Centre-right government survives confidence vote

The centre-right government of Prime Minister Petr Nečas has won a confidence vote in the lower house, receiving 105 votes in favour and 93 against. The result came shortly after eight pm on Friday after some 11 hours of deliberation by dozens of MPs, including opposition members who slammed the government, arguing it had lost the right to lead. Friday’s vote was called by the prime minister to test support for his government after the splintering of the smallest coalition partner, Public Affairs, over a corruption scandal.

On Friday, it received crucial backing from a newly-emerged faction around Deputy Prime Minister Karolina Peake, who defected from Public Affairs, as well as two independent deputies and three Public Affairs members. Despite the result, observers say it will prove harder for the government to find support for its reforms.

The cabinet has come under fire from the opposition and trade unions for austerity cuts it says are necessary to help bring the budget deficit to below 3 percent of GDP. Around 100,000 people took to the streets of the Czech capital last weekend to protest the austerity measures in one of the biggest anti-government demonstrations since the fall of communism.

Author: Jan Velinger